


The Haikyuu Birthday Collection

by TremblingRiver



Category: haikyu!!, haikyuu
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:15:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24909028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TremblingRiver/pseuds/TremblingRiver
Summary: This is being cross-posted between Wattpad and AO3, both written by @TremblingRiver.+++This is a collection of several short stories, all taking place during certain characters' birthdays.Currently, 365 Pages of the Heart (Sugawara x Any), Stars that Dwindle (Hinata x Reader) and Overcoming Perection (Oikawa x Reader) are completed. I, You, Us (Ushijima x Reader) is a work in progress.For a bit more explanation of each story, see the table of contents.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Reader, Hinata Shoyo/Reader, Hinata/Reader, Koushi Sugawara/any, Kōshi Sugawara/Any, Shouyou Hinata/Reader, Shōyō Hinata/reader, Sugawara Koushi/any, Sugawara Kōshi/any, Sugawara/any, Ushijima Wakatoshi/Reader, Wakatoshi Ushijima/Reader, ushiwaka/reader
Kudos: 12





	1. The Table of Contents

_Hello, welcome to my collection of birthday mini-fics for the_ Haikyu!! _boys who get a decent amount of screen time between seasons 1 and 2 (this may change with time)._

_I am not a manga reader, even if I have read some spoilers. I found Haikyuu on Netflix one day and just started watching it from there... (I have Crunchyroll, but the ads kill me...)_

_I_ do _claim all art used in this collection (which will not appear if you are reading on AO3) unless I directly state otherwise, though Haikyuu and its characters do not belong to me. I do own the stories the characters are in, though..._

_The table of contents are as follows..._

• **365 Pages of the Heart (Sugawara Kōshi x any)**

Sugawara hadn't anticipated that his birthday would end up like that.

He hadn't anticipated finding that slip of paper that told him to head to the gym and check underneath a random volleyball.

He hadn't anticipated that he would find a notebook with 365 pages, each with a compliment.

He hadn't anticipated that such a thing would be meant for him.

But then he found that slip of paper, that notebook, and somewhere along the way, a desire to find the person who put it together.

**No ships are specified.

• **Stars that Dwindle (Hinata Shoyo x Reader)**

After your mother gets a job in a place far away from home, your family moves to the Miyagi Prefecture, where stars are harder to see than where you'd used to live.

You meet a boy as you explore your new home and find yourself in a comversation about the stars after setting for him for a bit... And you meet him again when you officially begin attending Karasuno.

• **Overcoming Perfection (Oikawa x Reader)**

His confidence was a facade, and yours was indisputably real...

He needs advice from what he thinks is perfect... From you.

**• I, You, Us (Ushijima x Reader)**

Volleyball was his world.

if you wanted to be a part of it, you’d have to play it, too.

So you did.

• **Of the Small Things (Yachi x Reader)**

She was terrified of you. You and that big smile of yours...

It always made it so hard for her to breathe.

Why did you have to smile so often...? And why was it never for her?

• **Temper & Impatience (Tsukishima x Reader)**

He was cold and sarcastic, you were hot-tempered and impatient.

Oil and water, as the two of you would be called...

Not meant to be mixed, and yet you got tangled up anyways...

• **Rush in the Veins (Nishinoya x Reader)**

The game was intense. So intense, in fact, that your school's team had lost...

But you had to admit, your eye was caught by a particular short libero from the other team...

• **Game on, Game Over (Kenma x Reader)**

You had met in real life, first. But he hadn't found you very interesting...

And then he recognized your voice in the game, and he decided he couldn't lose... Not when he was up against you.

...maybe you _weren't_ so bad.

• **Spectacle (Yamaguchi x Reader)**

Your first date seemed to be designed entirely to just fluster him... If that was your goal, you definitely succeeded...

So why did he want another date?

• **Darling, Dear, Love (Kuroo x Reader)**

It was hard for you to find any reason for liking him. Why? _Why_ did you like him? And why _him_ specifically?

He wanted to help you figure it out.

• **Cherry Trees & Tempers (Kageyama x Reader)**

Rage can calm rage if done right...

How about when done wrong?

• **Connect the Dots (Daichi x Reader)**

Dots. Thousands of dots. Tens of thousands of dots. Countless dots.

Each dot breathes, and laughs, and loves...

Each dot cries and regrets and feels hopeless, from time to time.

But there was one dot... One dot that changed everything.

• **Butterflies & Bee Stings (Asahi x Reader)**

You were less than angelic, and everybody knew that fact well - far from delicate.

Asahi was the opposite, very much kind and gentle, and nobody seemed to know...

• **Fair Festivals (Kiyoko x Reader)**

She was excited - you could tell, even through the lack of expression on her face... How unfair it was, that she chose to attend the festival with the volleyball team...

• **Enough (Takeda x Reader)**

You were a waitress at some random restaurant that no one ever seemed to remember going to...

And yet, he kept coming back...

• **Shameless Flirt (Tanaka x Reader)**

He had never seen a girl flirt like you. He never thought he would, either... But there you were, flirting with every guy who came into your field of view, using cheesy pickup lines with that charming smile of yours... That smile that got numbers.

• **Up & Over (Ukai x Reader)**

You decided to check in on a dear friend after a week of radio silence...

And then you found yourself hopping fences.

• **Home to Me (Iwaizumi x Reader)**

Having attended a school in America for the past year, it’s finally time for you to come home. How much more could he have missed you?

How is he going to let you go again?

+++

 _There_ will _be more characters added. These are the only stories planned and/or completed thus far, and I will update this table of contents as I add more._

 _These stories will_ not _always be posted on a character's birthday. It just so happens that the first three were begun on their birthdays. After all, I don't want to have to cycle through a whole year before I can finish this collection._

_Here is the current list of planned/partially planned/completed stories (in order).  
  
  
_

_\+ Sugawara Kōshi (Complete) - 365 Pages of the Heart_

_\+ Hinata Shōyō (Completed) - Stars that Dwindle_

_\+ Oikawa Tōru (Completed) - Overcoming Perfection_

_\+ Ushijima Wakatoshi (In Progress) - I, You, Us_

_\+ Yachi Hitoka (Not started)- Of the Small Things_

_\+ Bokuto Kōtarō (Not started) - Birds of a Feather_

_\+ Tsukishima Kei (Not started) - Temper & Impatience_

_\+ Nishinoya Yū (Not started) - Rush in the Veins_

_\+ Kozume Kenma (Not started) - Game On, Game Over_

_\+ Yamaguchi Tadashi (Not started) - Spectacle_

_\+ Kuroo Tetsurō (Not started) - Darling, Dear, Love  
_

_\+ Akaashi Keiji (Not started) - Clear as the Sky_

_\+ Kageyama Tobio (Not started) - Cherry Trees & Tempers_

_\+ Sawamura Daichi (Not started) - Connect the Dots_

_\+ Azumane Asahi (Not started) - Butterflies & Bee Stings_

_\+ Shimizu Kiyoko (Not started) - Fair Festivals_

_\+ Takeda Ittetsu (Not started) - Enough_

_\+ Tanaka Ryūnosuke (Not started) - Shameless Flirt_

_\+ Ukai Keishin (Not started) - Up & Over_

_\+ Iwaizumi Hajime (Not started) - Home To Me_   
  


_In case you haven't picked up on it yet, I write surnames (last names) before given names (first names), when it comes to anime fanfictions. I will, when writing in third or second person (I currently have no plans of writing in first), refer to characters by their surnames._

_This may be different in dialogue, depending on how well the characters know each other or how they interact in the anime._

_Another exception would be multiple characters in a scene that share a surname..._

_I believe I've covered all bases..._

_I hope you enjoy these birthday-themed short stories!_

_Oh, and feel free to skip around. I know that my favorite favorite characters aren't your favorite characters - I won't be offended... Though, I do ask that you leave your kudos and/or comment on the chapters you do choose to read. It helps my motivation more than you may know, plus, it raises the chance that I might write about that character again._

... _if you have any questions regarding these stories, feel free to ask._


	2. 365 Pages of the Heart

Sugawara was bored.

Completely and entirely bored. Unendingly bored.

Yet, he sat through the lecture, waiting for lunch to begin.

What a "spectacular" birthday.

How "exciting", dealing with the same lectures that he dealt with everyday. Well, the same aside from a few slight variations...

What was actually exciting, though, was the surprise in his locker that morning...

It was an envelope. An envelope with his name scrawled on it in pretty golden ink.

Inside the envelope was a short letter, wishing him happy birthday and sending him to find something.

_Dear Suga,_

_Happy birthday. I'm gonna say it to you in person, but I'm not going to give you my surprise in person... I decided it would be much more fun this way. Plus, it allows me to be anonymous._

_In the gym, resting under a volleyball in the corner, is a particularly thick notebook._

_What are its contents? 365 pages of the heart. What does that mean? Well, you'll have to see for yourself. Again, happy birthday. Hope you like your gift._

_With love,_

_Anyonymous_

And since he opened that envelope, the "notebook" had been the only thing on his mind.

The lectures went in one ear and out the other as his thoughts were consumed by the mysterious letter. After all, that was _far_ more interesting than learning about how algebra applies to your day-to-day life.

The time passed, feeling unendingly slow, and like time can't do, he waited.

He waited with a lack of patience, but he waited nonetheless.

When the class was dismissed, he all but ran to Sawamura.

"You got here quicker than expected... Oh, and before I forget, happy birth-"

"Could you unlock the gym?"

"Sure. What's got you so antsy?"

Suga showed him the note he'd found in his locker.

"...Weird. I wonder what it is?"

Something about his tone and expression suggested he knew what it was. And that he knew who was behind it.

But Sugawara was too focused on the mystery of it to notice.

Sawamura walked Sugawara to the gym, listening to Suga's theories on what the contents of the notebook might be.

When the door was open, Suga all but sprinted to the corner where he saw a lone volleyball, putting it away as he grabbed the notebook.

On its cover was a cherry tree, and messy white paint with 365 Pages of the Heart written on top.

He stared at it for a moment before opening it to the first page.

_Hey, Sugawara. So you found it... Well, it should've been easy enough to find..._

_I'll tell you what this notebook is for._

_For the next 365 days of your life, a year, there is a compliment to be read (of course, I suggest getting to the end of the notebook quickly... For reasons you'll understand once you do). All compliments coming from my heart, hence 365 Pages of the Heart._

_That's basically all there is to it._

_Oh, and the pages are numbered, so if you have a specific page you want to be keep track of, it should be simple enough to find._

_Here's your first compliment... Ready?_

_You're the kindest guy I've ever met._

_I wrote this twice in your letter, but I'm gonna write it once more..._

_Happy birthday._

"What is it?" Daichi asks, leaning over Suga's shoulder to read it. "Huh... Any idea who it might be from?"

"No clue."

Sawamura laughed a bit, and Suga finally recognized how suspicious his friend was being.

"You know who it is, don't you?"

Even if he denied it, Suga would've known that Sawamura was lying.

After all, how would the person behind the notebook have gotten into the locked gym?

"...yeah."

"Tell me!"

"I promised I wouldn't."

Suga groaned. "Come on, Daichi! What's it gonna hurt?"

"My friendship, probably. After all, the writer wants you to figure out who they are on your own."

"Huh?"

"You'll see."

+++

A couple of days had passed since his birthday, and that notebook...

It still consumed his thoughts.

He only had a few more pages to get through, and then he'd reach the end of it.

Suga tapped his pencil on the desk, waiting impatiently for lunch to begin.

His birthday having been on a Friday, he was able to spend his weekend reading through the notebook.

_I suggest getting to the end of the notebook quickly... For reasons you'll understand once you do._

Why? What was at the end that made him so curious?

What was at the end that was so important?

He stared disinterestedly at his teacher, nodding along to the lecture, faking his focus.

Who went through the effort of the notebook?

He appreciated it, a lot, but he would've also been happy with a few birthday wishes from all his friends.

And Sawamura knew who it was, which only made him _more_ curious.

He was pulled from thoughts when his shoulder was poked.

"Suga?"

Azumane was poking him repeatedly and cautiously, one finger pressing into his shoulder again and again.

"What?"

"You were spacing out... It's lunch."

"Is it? I didn't hear the bell ring..."

"It is, and it definitely rang. What's had your focus? You've been like this since your birthday..."

Suga grabbed the thick notebook, holding it out to Azumane.

"This is what I've been so distracted by."

Azumane opened it to the first page, eyes darting across it as he read it. "Wow... Someone actually put this together? Who's it from?"

"I've got no clue."

"But wouldn't they have needed to give it you?"

"I got a note in my locker telling me where to find it..."

"Have you found any clues?"

"Daichi knows who it is, but he refuses to tell me, so no. I don't have anything to go off of, except he and I both know the person..."

"Have you tried comparing writing? Like, asking someone for their notes and-"

Suga shook his head. "And what if they asked someone else to write it for them? Back to square one..."

"You never know until you check..."

"So I should just ask everybody for their notes? Wouldn't that be weird if I was asking our kohai for their notes?"

"I suppose you're right... We should bring someone else in on this. They'll probably sniff out whoever's behind it quickly..."

"Daichi said the person wanted me to figure it out on my own..."

Azumane looked deep in thought - submerged in his contemplation.

"Have you finished reading it yet?"

"No, I still have a few pages to go."

Azumane returned the notebook to him. "Might as well finish it now, in case it has more clues..."

Sugawara nodded before turning to page 357 - the page where sleep had interrupted him the night before.

The person definitely had found a way to charm him through the words on the page. With every word, he only found himself more drawn to whoever might be behind them.

And finally, he reached page 365.

_So... This is it. The big end to a year's worth of compliments... Or a few days, depending on how much you read at a time._

_Turn the page one last time, to something I was too scared to give you in person... The real reason I couldn't give you this notebook from my own hands._

Might this be the big revelation?

He turned the page, finding an envelope taped to the inside of the cover.

"Huh?"

He pulled the envelope free of the notebook, opening it uncertainly.

_I've never been particularly good at physically expressing my emotions._

_I'm_ much _better with words than facial expressions... Now, I wouldn't call myself_ terrible _, by any means._

_Not anymore, that is..._

_When I met you, it's like a switch was flipped in my brain. It was so much easier to bear my emotions on my face, rather than in ink or graphite._

_And, finally, I made a decision..._

_A decision that I would tell you..._

The letter ended there.

Right _there_.

Suga ran his finger over the torn edge of the paper, he flipped it over to find something– _anything_...

And all he found was...

_If you can find me before summer break begins, I'll personally give you the second half of the letter. If not?_

_You'll never know what I want to tell you._

_Good luck, Suga._

_I'm rooting for you._

_+++  
_

Suga looked utterly dejected.

"This doesn't tell me _anything_..."

_If you can find me before summer break begins, I'll personally give you the second half of the letter. If not?_

_You'll never know what I want to tell you._

_Good luck, Suga._

_I'm rooting for you._

Who could it be from?

Someone who's not good at expressing their emotions on their face...

Kiyoko?

That doesn't seem right...

The letter said they got better at it when they met him.

That really doesn't narrow down his options by much...

How could he _possibly_ tell what all his friends were like before he met them?

And what would they think if he just went around asking all of them about their past?

How could he figure out who it was?

After having a conversation about it with Azumane, he came to a conclusion...

If he were to somehow to somehow bring up questions of everyone's past, and from there, if he found someone with a past similar to the one described in the note, he'd ask them for their notes.

That should be simple, right?

_Right_?

Nope.

No one seemed to want to comply, constantly darting his question.

Just how much of a reach did this person have!?

He only got an answer from one of his second year friends, who it most certainly was not.

A stray volleyball hit him in the face. _Hard_.

"Suga, are okay!?"

Nishinoya had been practicing receiving Azumane's serves, and this particular time, after hitting Nishinoya's arms, the volleyball flew back - and directly into a distracted Sugawara's face.

Now, he simply stood there with a bloody nose.

The wild boy, whose energy levels were _far_ taller than the rest of him, looked at the third-year with wide eyes, asking if he was okay.

"...I'm fine."

"Still thinking about that notebook, huh?" Sawamura asked, another volleyball tucked under his arm.

"Yeah."

Kiyoko tossed him a towel to clean up with, and like the volleyball, his face caught it.

But this hurt a lot less.

"What notebook?"

The team was inevitably curious, as Suga thought they would be if he were to mention it. And so, he explained the concept of _365 Pages of the Heart_ , as it was titled.

"Someone's got a crush on Suga!" Nishinoya and Tanaka called out, looking at each other excitedly. "Any clue who it is!?"

"None at all, but I'm-"

"Break out the trench coats and the magnifying glass, Noya. We're going to be detectives."

"That's not-"

Before Sugawara could finish his sentence, the two were dressed to the nines in comical detective clothing.

"Where did you even get all of that?"

"...anime logic. Now, Sugawara-San, we have a few questions to ask you about this... notebook."

"Get back to practicing, you two!" Sawamura growls, looking at the two of them with an intense glare.

The two looked to their captain before ditching the detective act and getting back to practice.

"Can you please give me a hint, Daichi? The clues are so vague..."

"No. And you should be practicing, too."

With a sigh, Suga nods. "You're right."

+++

In the middle of practice, Suga took another ball to the face.

"You _need_ to focus!"

"Sorry, Daichi... It's just, the note-"

"The notebook? Fine, I'll give you a clue."

"Really!?"

"Yes, but you _have_ to focus. You'd be hitting the rest of us if we were as unfocused as you are right now."

"Okay!"

"...they... hm... they like volleyball."

That definitely narrowed it down.

Not to a few people, but it still narrowed it down a fair bit.

"Now get back to practice!"

+++

Sugawara really did try.

He tried so hard...

But he _still_ couldn't focus.

"C'mon, Suga! We need the team to be in better shape for the game! Figure out who it is, already."

Practice ended like that, with Suga's mind still lingering on the notebook.

Who?

They like volleyball, Sawamura had said...

The captain threw a volleyball at Suga, "You coming?"

He shook his head, "I think I'm gonna practice for a bit."

"Make sure to lock up when you're done, then." And he passed off the keys to Suga, "Make sure you aren't here for too long."

"Got it."

And just like that, the gym was empty of everyone but Sugawara.

Well, Sugawara and Kiyoko, who decided to stay behind and keep an eye on him.

As it started getting dark outside, Kiyoko cleared her throat, finally catching Suga's attention.

"How long have you been here?" He asked, slightly panicked and feeling guilty for having not noticed her sooner.

"...The whole time. You should go home before you make tomorrow morning miserable."

Sugawara only nodded.

"What's on your mind?"

He looked at her with surprise. She rarely held a conversation with anyone on the team... But he shook it off. "This notebook I found on my birthday..."

She gave him a curious look, prompting him to go on.

"It has 365 compliments in it, as well as an incomplete letter... If I wanna know what the rest of it says, I have to figure out who's behind it."

"Have you tried comparing people's notes?"

"...that's the second time that's been suggested to me... Maybe I should."

"Yeah. But you should also be heading home." She rested her hand on top of his head for a moment before leaving the gym.

_Is_ it Kiyoko?

He couldn't be certain, but she definitely seemed... Different, somehow...

He watched the door for a few minutes after she left before he finally gathered his things and left as well.

+++

He was _finally_ starting to let go of his obsession with the notebook, letting life relatively return to normal.

_Relatively_.

It didn't occupy his thoughts as much anymore, allowing him to finally practice properly and focus on class.

But when he finished up practice and his homework, he spent his time thinking about finding a way to expose the creator of the notebook.

It had become routine, in the week and a half that had passed since he found it.

He had only twenty seven days left to figure out who it was, and he was growing anxious as he lacked any further clues beyond Sawamura's "they like volleyball."

He stared at the notebook in his hands as though it might somehow suddenly provide him with all the answers he was looking for.

Who made it? _Why_ did they make it? Why so much effort?

He had tried bringing it up to all his friends that liked volleyball, but all of them seemed as surprised as he was about it... Their reactions told him nothing.

Unless it was a practiced surprise they bore, maybe?

Or was he way off on who he suspected might have written it?

It was infuriating, the mystery seemed unsolvable for someone who wasn't a detective... Or maybe Suga was just being blind and oblivious?

That could very well be it, too...

And finally, he decided to put it away for the day, struggling to think of any way to figure it out.

Just how much effort would he have to put in to get that second half of that letter?

He stared at the ceiling as he wondered, asking himself all the same questions he had already asked himself a million times.

+++

Sugawara had _finally_ decided to check the notes of everyone he knew, disregarding how weird it might seem to ask his kohai for theirs.

He _needed_ to know.

He asked around all the people he knew liked volleyball, having seen all sorts of writing.

Neat, fancy, messy...

But then he found a match.

He glanced up at the person who handed him their notes, looking up to the torn sheet of paper they held out to him.

"You found me."

"It was you? It was really you?"

The writer behind the notebook nodded shyly. "I'm glad you were looking for me."

Sugawara finally took the remainder of the letter from their hands.

_Congratulations, Suga. You know who I am._

_How do you feel, knowing that information you've been seeking?_

_Now I'll tell you what I'm too afraid to say out loud. The thing I decided I needed to tell you..._

_I like you. A lot._

_ The end. _


	3. Stars That Dwindle

The sky was gloomy.

You knew what you had signed up for...

Well, technically it wasn't your choice... But still. You knew what was coming.

It wasn't bad weather. No, that wasn't it at all...

If only that was all it was.

No, the sky here would always be gloomy.

Having moved from a small town in the middle of nowhere to the Miyagi Prefecture... Well, it wasn't exactly a "big city," per say, but it definitely wasn't what you were used to.

Your favorite pastime was staring at the stars, late at night... Or early in the morning, depending on how exhausted you were that particular day...

It was more of you being alone with your thoughts than anything... After all, the day would rarely leave you with much alone time...

It was about... just being _idle_ while the world continued without you.

It was a great feeling, knowing you didn't have to carry the weight of the whole world on your shoulders.

It would make most people feel lonely, knowing that somebody doesn't need them...

But it provides you a certain... Calmness? Would that be the word?

Perhaps.

Or peace? Serenity?

But did you really need a single word to describe how you felt?

Maybe you did... Maybe you didn't...

But at the end of the day, who cares?

"OI!"

You were pulled from your mindless thoughts by your... loud... sister, who was shaking you mercilessly.

"Ya in there!? You alive?"

You replied with "aha," your voice shaking with the rest of your body until you finally slapped her hands away. "What?"

"Good. You're not dead. I was getting a bit concerned... Thought I might have to call someone."

You gave her a less than interested look.

"Okay, okay. I hear you, loud and clear. I'll get to the point, then... I want to explore Miyagi with you... Make it easier for us to not get lost."

"Yeah, okay."

"Aiko! Get your crap out of the hallway! Almost tripped," Your mother called out with exhaustion.

"I'll get it in a sec!" She replied before turning back to you, "Get yourself ready. I don't want to wander around with you looking like you just crawled out of bed."

"There's nothing wrong with a 'fresh out of bed' look," you replied with a yawn.

"It's four PM."

"...your point is... _what_ , exactly?"

She sighed. "I give up with you."

You snickered. "You give up so easily... Get some cheese, it'll fill you with determination."

She glared at you. "Was that an Undertale reference? Seriously?"

"Indeed. Partaking in useless garbage fills you with determination."

"You aren't useless garbage. You're useful. Sometimes... Anyways, I'm done talking to you now. I'll meet you in the living room."

That was thinly veiled insult...

But that was okay. You had set it up for her, anyways.

You looked out the window, forgetting that it was far too early to check for stars before actually pulling yourself together.

Finally, you met up with your sister who was, surprisingly enough, dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.

"Who looks like they're fresh out of bed now, huh?"

"I didn't say you had to get fancy, y'know. Just decent."

"...fair enough. Aiko, 1. Me, 27."

"Twenty seven!?"

"Well, there was that time when Ak-"

"We don't talk about that."

"How about-?"

"Nope."

"Okay, okay... Got it."

"Let's get going. I don't want to be out long enough to miss dinner."

"Alright."

"We'll be back, mom!"

"Okay! Be safe! Make good choices! Don't talk to stra-"

And the door closed before she could finish.

You had been exploring with your sister when you finally began approaching the school you would be attending in two days.

"This is Karasuno, hey? Doesn't seem all that special..."

Aiko ruffles your hair, "Guess it is. But don't judge a book by its cover... Besides, you're only looking at it from a frontal view. And... I'll bet the students are even better."

Aiko was in her third year, and you were in your first. You gave her an envious look as you began stepping onto the school grounds.

"Oi! Where you going!?"

"Doing a bit of exploring."

She sighed, checking her phone. "Okay. We have half an hour to explore the school... And then after that, we need to head home, if we don't want dinner to get cold..."

"Gotcha. We exploring together, or what?"

"You got your phone on you?"

"Mhm."

"Great. Meet me back here in thirty minutes, then. If you run into any problems, text me, I'll be there to fix it."

"Don't go sounding reliable, all of a sudden."

"I'm plenty reliable!" She huffed, crossing her arms with a pout.

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'm your big sister. Problems arise, and I beat those problems senseless! After all, of there's one thing I'm good at, it's punching things!"

"Trust me, I know. I still feel your punch from last week.”

"Sorry 'bout that... But you should never get in the way of my food! You should know that by now... Anyways... Before we lose more time to explore, we should probably split up..."

"Yeah. See ya in a bit."

"Mhm."

And you found yourself in front of gym, after meandering for a few minutes, slowly checking out random things.

And then you heard squeaking - a lot of squeaking.

You peered inside the gym, not bothering to hide yourself. After all, it's not like you'd get killed for checking it out...

...right?

And, growing paranoid, you stepped aside, just barely missing the volleyball that flew past you.

Your life had flashed before your eyes in that singular moment...

"Good god," you exclaimed, eyes wide.

Your voice caught the attention of an orange-haired boy practicing in the gym, and he looked to you, eyes almost as wide as yours.

Almost.

"Someone's been watching us!" He had exclaimed excitedly, speaking to his clearly agitated partner.

"I don't care."

"Toss the ball again!"

"Are you actually going to hit it this time?"

"Of course I am!" He was beaming, excitedly bouncing around.

How much energy can one person have!? You simply continued to watch, a little less panicked after learning that they didn't care about your presence.

You stared in awe as the short boy became a blur of orange, launching himself in the air.

Holy hell... He can really jump!

And the ball was slammed down on the other side of the net.

Did he really just hit that with his eyes closed!?

You watched in amazement, picking up the volleyball that had landed behind you earlier.

"That's so cool!" You had shouted from your place, a broad smile on your face.

But that smile was taken from your face when a ball was sent flying into it.

"I'm sorry!"

The impact had you seeing stars - not that it was much different than usual... After all, your screensaver was literally stars... But this wasn't in a good way.

+++

"...how do we hide a dead body?" The orange-haired boy's partner asked as you were coming to.

He asked it so seriously...

"I didn't hit it that hard! How did this even happen!?"

"It happened because you're an idiot!"

"No, you're the idiot, Bakayama!" He childishly stuck out his tongue before blowing a raspberry.

You started laughing from your place on the floor, unable to contain yourself.

How much more childish could someone possibly be?

"She's alive!"

And you started snorting.

"...Is she okay?"

Between laughs, you replied "Why don't you ask _me_ instead of each other?"

And finally, you began to sit up, still chuckling a bit.

You hadn't laughed like that in ages... And really, the situation wasn't that funny... But regardless, your laughter was enough to cause you pain.

"Ow...”

"Are you okay?" The more sensible of the two had asked.

"Yeah, perfectly fine."

"I'm sorry for killing you." The orange-haired boy stated, looking you dead in the eyes with a serious expression.

And you were in hysterics again.

"I'm sorry for killing you."

The way he said it... He sounded so sad...

You doubled over as you continued laughing.

"Do I look dead to you?"

"Yes." The black-haired boy responded mercilessly.

"... _rude_."

"Bakayama!" The orange-haired boy replied, almost about to smack him when you stopped him.

"No, it's fine." And finally, you introduced yourself.

"Oh, right! I'm Hinata Shōyō, and he's-"

"Walking away?" You asked, a bit surprised as you watched him leave.

"Lock up." Was all he said to Hinata.

"-Kageyama!" He growled as he watched the dark-haired boy walk away.

You chuckled as you watched him go.

Hinata huffed, folding his arms in frustration, cheeks puffing out.

The sight was quite adorable... He reminded you of a child who never got their way.

"It's nice to meet you, Hinata. Do you need help?" You asked, signaling to the volleyballs scattered around the gym.

His eyes seemed to sparkle. "Do you know how to set?"

"...A little bit. My sister played volleyball until she got an injury... But before that, she had me set for her... It didn't take long for her to sustain her injury, though, so I only know the basics."

"Basics are good enough! I practiced with people who didn't even know the basics!"

He's so positive...

"I'll help you for a bit, then."

Hinata had tossed the ball, looking to you eagerly as your fingertips pushed it directly in front of you.

You were about to apologize for it being short, but he ran up, spiking it down to the other side of the net.

How is he so quick!?

You simply looked at him in awe.

After that, things seemed to go a bit downhill.

Your sets would, more often than not, land on the same side of the net as the pair of you, but he told you to shrug it off and just keep setting the ball for him.

"Hinata, this was fun and all, but I'm really getting tired..."

How long was he at it before this!?

He gave a disappointed nod. "Okay."

You started collecting the volleyballs that were all over the gym as he disassembled the net.

After the two of you finished cleaning and he had locked up, he had caught you staring at the sky.

"Whatcha looking at?"

The stars were out... They were sparse, but still there.

"The stars here suck," you stared bluntly, forgetting for a moment that the boy besides you was still practically a stranger.

"Huh!? What do you mean!? Aren't stars the same everywhere?"

"Well, yeah... I guess I should've the sky here sucks..."

"But isn't it the same with the sky..? The sky isn't the same here as anywhere else?"

The expression on his face told you that you had broken him.

"No, no. It is technically the same sky... but it's different... How do I explain this...? Hm..."

You continued staring at the sky as you tried to form the right words.

"Oh! I've got-"

"What the hell, Space Girl!?"

Your sister was fuming as she caught sight of you.

_Oh no..._

And you realized what time it was.

More than an hour had passed...

"Do you realize how worried you made me!?"

Hinata turned his attention to her.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention to the time!"

"Cut the crap! I've been running around the school, searching for you for the past thirty minutes! Have you even checked your phone!? I was so scared..."

Aiko was shaking as she sunk to the grass, tears slipping from her eyes.

"Do you have any clue how awful I felt, having lost you so easily!? I'm such a terrible sister..."

"Aiko, I'm so sorry... I really wasn't paying attention to the time..."

And finally, you checked your phone.

32 messages, 9 missed calls.

And, instantly, you felt guilty.

"I'm so sorry!" You repeated your apologies several times as Hinata simply stood there awkwardly. You sat down beside your sister as she sobbed, rubbing her back.

"I apologize for making a scene," she told Hinata between shaky breaths, wiping her tears away, and they began running off her hands, instead of down her cheeks.

"It's my fault... Also, sorry for keeping you, Hinata... You don't need to worry about me."

"If you're sure..."

The two of you said your goodbyes, and you prepared for an earful from Aiko.

The walk home was silent, even as your sister cried with shaky breaths.

The quiet only made you feel more guilty...

"You don't know how sorry I am..." You had whispered, breaking the silence as you glanced up at the stars.

But the silence came back as she didn't reply.

"You're mad at me," you stated, looking at her.

She shook her head. "I'm not. It's not like you did anything particularly wrong... But trust me when I say you've never been as terrified as I was. I could hardly breathe for thirty minutes and I felt like I was about to pass out."

And again, the silence had returned, but was again broken by Aiko's stomach growling, and she ignored it as she kept her gaze fixed on some point ahead of the two of you.

When you had finally gotten home, she didn't eat and went straight to her room.

"Aiko..." you knocked on her door. "Dad heated up our food."

"I don't have an appetite."

"You're hungry, though... You don't have to eat _with_ me, but you need to eat..."

"I'll eat later... Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

It was hard to just leave her be, but you knew it would be worse to push her. She'd only push back...

So you simply left her to herself for the night.

+++

She had gotten over it—or, she was really good at hiding how upset she was—by the next morning.

It was the morning after that that you were starting at your new school.

_Hopefully I run into Hinata again..._

With that hope in mind, you and Aiko made your way to your new school.

Unfortunately, it turned out Hinata wasn't in your class. His was 1-3, while you were in 1-4.

You discovered this when you wound up visiting the gym after school, seeking out the orange boy.

You had made a couple of friends, but they weren't anything notable in comparison to the boy who could jump.

"Hey! Hinata!" You'd called out, waving to him.

"Oh! Hey!" He bounded over to you excitedly. "What are you doing here?"

A blonde boy snickered. "The first valid question he's ever asked."

"You're in my class, aren't you?" You asked the blonde. "Tsukishima, right?"

He nodded. "Better not associate yourself with the likes of him. Stupid is contagious." And just like that, he was done talking to you.

"Hey!" Hinata was about to go try to hit him, but you cleared your throat.

"I came by to say hello... If you and everyone else don't mind?"

"I'm sure you can watch! Or you could help us practice!" His eyes twinkled with his excitement.

"I don't want to intr-"

"Hinata! Do us all a favor and introduce us!" A boy with a shaven head said excitedly.

And you met all the students who made up Karasuno's boys' volleyball team.

Hinata told them you could set and asked if you could help them practice, which Sawamura agreed.

"Alright... Just let me text my sister, this time... You saw how freaked out she was last time, Hinata."

He nodded. "Is she okay?"

"She's not dead, if that's what you're asking... Not like you thought I was."

He was flushed red at the mention of that.

"T-that! I was tired!"

"Didn't seem tired to me..." You chuckled before texting your sister you were at the boys' gym, helping out.

_Thanks for telling me this time_

She was definitely still upset...

_I'm sorryyyyyy 😖_

_I'll get over it I guess. Just let me know when you're finishing up and I'll come get you—I don't want you walking home alone_

_Okayyy_

_Have fun... and be careful_

_I willl_

You put your phone away before telling Sawamura—who insisted you call him Daichi, like everyone else did—that you were only a beginner, but he told you that was just fine and they could use all the help they could get.

And you spent the rest of your day helping out.

And you helped for several days afterwards.

+++

"It's my birthday today," Hinata stated absentmindedly, causing you to screw up your toss.

"What!? Why didn't you say anything sooner!?"

Clubs weren't required at Karasuno, so you didn't have to worry about officially joining one...

You had been spending the past few days with boys' volleyball team and weren't ready to stop coming to the gym just yet.

Your sister had come to allow Hinata to walk you home, as it was on the way to his, and he didn't seem to be " _one of the arrogant brats_ ," as she had so delicately put it.

The ball fell onto your face, but it wasn't painful. There wasn't much force behind it, after all.

"Are you okay!?" Hinata asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, I'm fine... But why didn't you say anything sooner!? I'd have gotten you something if I'd known!" You shook him by his shoulders.

"It's fine, I don't really need-"

You kept shaking his shoulders. "Sure, you don't _need_ anything, but I'd have still _liked_ to have gotten you _something_! You were the first friend I made, here!"

"...sorry..."

You sighed, finally letting him go. "It's fine. But now I'm just gonna feel bad that I didn't get you anything!"

And, finally, practice ended for the day.

You talked to Hinata as you walked home next to him, talking about how different the stars seemed in comparison to where you used to live.

"It's almost like they've dwindled..."

"Really? You think so? Do they really look that different?"

"Mhm. Look, I'll show what the stars are supposed to look like..."

You pulled out your phone, showing him a picture of a sky filled with stars, and then you glanced at the sky you were under now.

So sparse, here...

The light was reflected in Hinata's eyes, and suddenly you felt heat rise to your cheeks.

 _I've only known him for a few days!_ You scolded yourself, _There's no way I like him like that already!_

"Woah! You'll have to take me there, someday!"

That was it.

...or not...

A few days of getting to know him was all it took.

It was so easy to understand why, too...

He was so happy-go-lucky, so determined... So passionate about the things he loved...

And his smile... it was so bright.

"I will."

"I'll hold you to that!" He replied excitedly.

"You got it, Sunshine."

"Eh!? _Sunshine_!?"

You nodded, poking his forehead. "I don't think I've ever met someone so excitable... It's your new nickname."

His cheeks had a slight pink tinge to them.

"...didn't your sister call you Space Girl, or something?"

He was changing the subject... Or was he implying something?

You nodded. "We make quite the pair, Space Girl and her Sunshine... I like the sound of that."

The rest of your walk home consisted of random bits of conversation interrupting a massive amount of silence. Some of it was awkward, but at certain points, it was quite comfortable.

And, finally, you were home.

"Hinata, look at the stars..." You told him, pointing up at the sky.

"Huh...? Okay."

With his gaze drawn upwards, you pressed your lips to his cheek. "Happy birthday, Sunshine."

He stood there stuttering as you made your way inside, waving your goodbye. "T-thank you, S-Space Girl!"

_The end._


	4. Overcoming Perfection

It was astounding.

Oikawa would steal random glances at you, shocked to see you talking with someone and smiling each and every time.

You were pretty, and there was no doubt about it, but that wasn't why he looked at you.

It was that smile... That warm smile that constantly drew new people to you.

His fan girls smiled, but never like that. Theirs were shallow...

The party was put together in celebration of his birthday, and only the most notable students who attended Aobajohsai were able to come... That collection of people _absolutely_ included you.

No one seemed to hate you, or at least they weren't vocal about it, which couldn't be said for most of the student body.

He watched you laugh at a joke someone told you, and, finally, he managed to gather the confidence to come talk to you.

Confidence...

Something so easy to fake.

Oikawa had, much to the surprise of anyone who knew, an inferiority complex, having constantly compared himself to the naturally gifted people for years and years on end.

But there definitely weren't many people who were aware of it, with how well he maintained his cocky and arrogant facade, and so they perceived him exactly how he wanted them to.

Was he only setting himself up to hate you?

Was he going to hate you for being so naturally embedded in your conversations, for being so gifted with your charm?

The guilt was eating away at his confidence.

How could he introduce himself to you if he knew he was just doing it to prove something? How could he, knowing that he might just hate you in the end?

He was about to back out on his idea when you met him in the middle.

Having noticed him approaching, stopping, approaching again and doing that several more times, you'd figured he was trying to figure out how to approach you.

"Happy birthday, Oikawa-San!"

And just like that, with no escape, a conversation with you had begun. "Thank you," and he wasn't sure what he should say next.

"You're a lot more awkward than you let on."

"I'm not-" he cut himself off with a sigh-"I am."

You laughed, "I knew something was odd about you! Not that odd is a _bad_ thing..."

"You're perceptive," he pointed out.

"Just good at reading people."

That was it? _That_ was the big secret? Being good at reading people?

But he could do that well... Why wasn't it so easy?

"Speaking of reading people, you look pretty deep in thought. Did I say something offensive?"

He shook his head, "No, that's not it."

"Then what?"

"It's nothing."

"I see. Something personal. I won't push. On another note, you don't really seem to be interacting with many of the people you invited. Is there a reason for that?"

"Huh?"

"I've noticed you standing off by yourself. Well, more so alone with Hajime."

"You know Iwa-Chan personally?"

"Now that you say that, I suppose I shouldn't be calling him his given name... We haven't talked much in recent years... I was the friend he talked to whenever you were out sick."

"You went to Kitagawa Daiichi?"

"Mhm. I used to be that one kid in the corner," you laughed. "It took a lot to come out of my shell."

So this _wasn't_ natural for you?

"I didn't want to be a loner, again... What am I gonna do now? The Aobajohsai chapter's closed..."

"You aren't going to college?"

"I'm taking a break year. I've been working. Speaking of... I should be on my way, my shift starts soon..."

"Let's exchange numbers," Oikawa flashed you his smug grin, the same one that convinced everyone that he's arrogant. The same one that charmed his fan girls.

You laughed, shaking your head. "You're ridiculous."

"Huh? Are you not giving me your number?"

"No, I am. That's not why I was laughing. You're trying to sound confident. I can see it. It's okay to not be confident."

And you checked the time.

"Crap! Ask Hajime for my number, I've really gotta get going, now... Hope your birthday's a good one, Oikawa-San!"

You saw straight through him...

He watched the door as it shut behind you.

He would _definitely_ be asking Iwaizumi for your number.

+++

"Iwa-Chan!" Oikawa interrupted his childhood friend's conversation, a look of both determination and excitement on his face.

"What do you want, Trashykawa?"

"So mean!"

"Do you prefer Shittykawa?"

"...I'll take Trashykawa..." He pouted, "you're still mean."

"What do you want?"

"L/N Y/N's number."

"Y/N's willing to give it to you?"

"Yup! Check, if you want..."

"I will, as a matter of fact..."

"So mean, Iwa-Chan!"

"How many more times do you plan on saying that in this conversation?"

"At least five. So mean! Four."

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes and texted you, asking if you were actually okay with giving Oikawa your number.

When you replied with a yes, he looked up at the determined boy.

"...what are your intentions with Y/N?"

"So mean...! Assuming I have dirty intentions... I just want to be friends... you sound like an overprotective older brother."

"I'll put Y/N's number in your contacts for you."

"Okay!" And like that, he had access to your number.

And a stinging nose, given the fact that Iwaizumi had thrown his phone at his face.

"Ow! So mean, Iwa-Chan!"

"Learn how to receive better."

"So mean, Iw-"

"By the way, do you have me saved as 'Iowa-Chan' in your contacts?"

"Do I?" Oikawa checked his contact, laughing wildly when he saw Iowa-Chan displayed on his screen. "Would you look at that, Iowa-Chan? I do have you saved with that contact! I'm not changing it!"

Iwaizumi gave him a look of both disappointment and irritation before cutting the conversation short and beginning to walk away.

"No! Wait, Iowa-Chan! Stop being so mean!"

"You just _had_ to get in that last 'so mean,' huh?"

"What can I say? I'm a man of my word."

"A man-child is more like it."

"So m-"

"I'm done."

"Wait! Iowa-Chan!"

+++

The party had ended without much development. Nothing of interest had happened since you'd left, and _finally_ , Oikawa was able to sit down and text you.

That was his plan, at least, until he realized the party had drained the Oikawa household of all its snacks.

And so, he left on his quest to hunt down something worth eating...

Until the most bizarre idea came to mind.

_Oikawa: Hey Y/N, it's Oikawa. What should I get to eat?_

It was a weird question to ask someone you just talked to for the first time... But, for some reason, he felt compelled to ask you.

He saw a read below his text, suddenly regretting the fact that he hit send...

Until...

_L/N: You should stop by the restaurant I work at! If you're willing to wait a bit, I'll treat you to something._

_Oikawa: Where do you work?_

And with your response, he was off to meet up with you again.

+++

You were a bit confused by his first text message to you. Who on earth asks someone they just met such a random question?

You shrugged it off and offered to get him something, both in celebration of his birthday and apology for leaving his party early.

You were a bit shocked when he actually showed up out front of the restaurant, and your coworkers teased you.

"Your boyfriend's waiting for you...!"

You didn't bother correcting them... After all, they'd start asking questions and... How weird would it be to say you technically just met him and now you were taking him out to grab a bite to eat?

Another thing that came as a shock was how soon he texted you. You'd expected he'd wait a couple days before saying a word... Yet, there he was... Sitting out front, waiting for your shift to end.

You kept an eye on the clock—and the boy outside—as you waited for your shift to be over with thinning patience.

And finally, it was.

You walked outside to be greeted by a chill in the air, and ignoring your own shivering, you greeted the boy who waited for you.

"Hey, Oikawa. Any cravings or preferences for something specific, or are you good with anything?"

"No, anything's fine with me."

"Perfect. Let's get going then, shall we?"

+++

"L/N-San, where are we going?"

You were dragging him away by the hand, broad smile on your face. "You'll have to wait and see!"

After a fairly short walk, the two of you arrived in front of a bakery.

"Hi, welcome to Clover's Luck Bakery! Let me know if I can get you anything," the cashier said in a cheery tone, even though she didn't look up from her textbook.

"Not greeting your favorite regular properly... I see how it is."

"I-oh! Y/N! Hey! Want the usual?"

"Two of the usual."

"Two? That's new..."

"I've brought a friend this time."

"Oh! Who's he? Your boyfriend?"

"No, he's not, but you're welcome to believe what you will. Like I said, a friend. Oh, and it's his birthday today, so-"

"Say no more. What's your name?"

"Oikawa Tōru."

She pulled a couple of brownies from the display, then she reached for a drawer, taking out a candle and a lighter.

She stuck the candle in one of the brownies, lighting the wick.

And, together, you and the cashier sang happy birthday.

Oikawa took a moment to think about what to wish for before settling on real confidence.

And with that, the candle was out.

"2,000 yen (19 USD, 25 CAD, 16 EUR, 15 GBP. These are not exact numbers. Also, sorry if none of these are your currency)."

Oikawa reached for his wallet, but you smacked his hand.

"No, I said this is my treat. Happy birthday, Oikawa."

He was a bit shocked by the sting in his hand, but he thanked you anyways.

Why did that hurt so much?

Did you play volleyball, or something?

"You look like you have a question."

"Hm?"

"I read people, remember?"

"Right... Were you in any sports clubs before graduation?"

"That's an interesting question. No, I wasn't. I played volleyball with my cousin's team, though."

That explained it... That _definitely_ felt like a spiker's hit. And, of course he only knew that because of Iwaizumi...

"Why do you ask?"

"When you hit my hand..."

"Oh! Did it hurt? Sorry... I always seem to go a bit overboard..."

Oikawa simply observed as you laughed a bit awkwardly. Why were you doing this for him?

It's not like there was anything to be gained out of it...

Not popularity; that was a very high school thing... Not money, he didn't have a job... Not a relationship, he was still too heartbroken after his girlfriend broke up with him because of his love for volleyball...

So why? What were you getting out of it?

Bragging rights? But what would you brag about? Buying him a brownie?

He didn't trust you, but at the same time, he absolutely did...

Why?

"More questions, huh?" You'd asked on a mouthful of brownie.

He shook his head. "Nothing I wanna ask you."

You looked a bit taken aback by his words before silently going for another bite.

"Sorry, I worded that wrong..."

You shook your head, "No, I get it. I shouldn't butt into your personal matters. Sorry. Man, I keep giving myself reasons to apologize, huh? I'll have to do better next time."

Next time?

You wanted to spend more time with him?

"Whenever Hajime and I talk, he mentions you," you stated. "He seems really concerned about you, but it seems like he believes you don't do much thinking..."

"Did you really need to tell me that?"

You clicked your tongue. "Let me finish, would you? He thinks you're shallow... But that isn't what I see."

"What do you see?"

"Someone who struggles with being genuine," you stated it like it was an obvious fact.

"How can you tell?"

"When you smile, the outer corners of your eyes don't crinkle—your smile lines don't gain much depth... You have eye bags that are clear as day, likely from the stress of expectations. I'd recognize them anywhere."

Recognize...? "You can really see all that?"

"Mhm. And if it's your intention to hide it from me, you should smile a bit better... that sounded more rude than I'd intended... Sorry. Again. What I mean is... practice your fake smiling if you don't want me to know it isn't genuine. Fooling me is just that simple."

"I highly doubt that."

"What do you mean by that?"

"There's _gotta_ be more to it than that..."

"There's _absolutely_ more to it, but not things I look for regularly. I'm not giving away all my secrets."

A new question arose in Oikawa's head.

_Why were you so popular?_

Did people actually _like_ having their secrets so exposed?

Or did you never point any of this out? Did you find a way to use this information to better your relationships?

After the two of you finished your brownies, you bid each other adieu before parting ways.

"I'll text you later."

_I'll probably never end up seeing L/N-San again..._

+++

How much more wrong could he have _possibly_ been?

He had seen you every day since, which was no small feat... It had been three months, and both of you were incredibly busy.

He had college and volleyball games, you had shifts to work...

The two of you always made time for each other, though.

On one particular day, though, you were free of work.

After taking care of some odd chores, you decided to surprise Oikawa and drop in to watch a practice.

"Oikawa, someone's here for you."

The coach's voice caused him to look up, glancing around before spotting you leaning in the doorway.

A few of his teammates looked to you before looking back at Oikawa curiously.

"One of your fan girls?" One of the spikers asked him.

"No, a friend... Y/N, don't you have work?"

"Awe, aren't you happy to see me?"

"Of course I am, but-!"

"I've got a day off. The owner got sick and the managers quit over these past few weeks, so with no one to take responsibility if something went wrong, they decided just to close the restaurant for today. Anyways, I'm not here to distract you. Get back to practicing."

"Coach, can she practice with us?"

"I don't see why not."

"Feel like practicing your receives?"

"Sure, why not? It's been a while since I played... Hit me with your best serve."

"I might hurt your hands..."

"I've seen your serves. I was at just about all your games, in high school..."

Oikawa felt weird, hearing you say that... Something like pride swelled in his chest and he felt... light.

And then something dark loomed over him. Did you see that I wasn't enough?

And he gave you a smile. "Let's see how well you can handle my untouchable serves."

"Let's see you handle how well I'll receive your 'untouchable' serves."

+++

When practice was over, you proved to not be as good as you remembered being.

"Okay, so maybe I'm a bit rusty... But I haven't played since high school!"

"So you're the amazing L/N Y/N we've heard so much about...?"

The boy who spoke was all-too-familiar... The captain of the team that beat Aobajohsai during Oikawa's final match in high school...

Sawamura Daichi.

"He's talked about me?"

"Ever since his birthday, three months ago. Non-stop..." You recognized the second boy as Kuroo Testsurō, who was captain of Nekoma's volleyball team the previous year.

"What is this, a team of captains?"

You rubbed your eyes before glancing around, recognizing most of the faces around you from TV.

There was Sawamura Daichi, Kuroo Tetsurō, Bokuto Kōtarō...

Plus, there was Oikawa's least favorite rival... Ushijima Wakatoshi.

"You single?" Kuroo asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

What's his angle?

Oikawa hit him upside the head, "No, she isn't. She's got a boyfriend."

You watched Kuroo's expressions, trying to piece together his intentions.

"No I don't," you gave Oikawa a curious look after finding that there wasn't any real interest in Kuroo's expression.

If there was... Well, your answer would be slightly different and it would be a whole other story.

But if he wasn't interested himself, why would he ask?

Oikawa cleared his throat, "Let's not waste your day off, Y/N. Let's go do something."

"Like what?"

"Get ice cream."

"Why ice cream?"

"It's hot today."

"Fair enough," you wave to the rest of his volleyball team. "I'll have to talk to all of you some other time, I suppose..."

Without saying a proper goodbye to everyone else, Oikawa practically dragged you outside, having changed quickly.

" _Someone's_ eager to spend time with me."

"You haven't gotten a day off in at least the last three months and you chose to spend today with me. I'm not about to let you regret it."

Your cheeks were burning, and you had to wonder... Were they as red as they felt like they'd gotten?

His fan girls had laid off since he started college. There were still a few here and there, but they were fairly sparse, now. It was nice, not having to worry about them.

If they were still around, one of them likely would've dragged you into a cat fight, for all the time you spent with Oikawa.

"I need to cancel something with Iowa-Chan..."

"Iowa-Chan...? You don't mean Hajime, do you?

"Auto-correct screwed up his contact info when I added it, ages ago. Didn't notice until recently and I'm choosing not to change it."

"Don't cancel for my sake..."

"It's not just for your sake, though."

He did it again...

You placed the back of your hands on your cheeks, attempting to cool them down a bit.

Meanwhile, Oikawa felt the overwhelming urge to poke your cheek.

So he did.

"OIKAWA!"

"Why don't you call me by my given name, Y/N?"

"Hm?"

"You call Iwa-Chan by his given name... Don't you think we're close enough?"

"That's- well, I guess you're right... Tōru."

And then he started smiling. Like the dork he is, of course.

Immediately, you grabbed your phone and took a picture.

"What? Why'd you just-?"

"It's not often one gets to lay their eyes upon such a _spectacular_ sight—one of the rarest and most amazing things in this universe, Oikawa Tōru's genuine smile. That's my new lock screen."

"Y/N!"

"What?"

"...nothing."

"You're lying, and you're not even trying to hide it."

"Let's just get some ice cream, yeah?"

Pursing your lips, you nodded.

"Wasting time is out of the question, today."

Oikawa was figuring out what to do on the fly.

He had never spent so much time with you in one sitting, so he desperately wanted to make sure you wouldn't regret spending all that time with him instead of someone else.

The two of you licked your ice cream as you walked... _somewhere_.

Oikawa had somewhere in mind that he'd wanted to go, but he refused to tell you. "You'll have to wait and see," he had said.

And then he stopped in front of a park.

"A park?"

"My parents would always take me here after we got ice cream... Something about me being too much to handle _without_ the sugar."

You laughed, shaking your head. "Right. Because you've always been known to be _so_ energetic."

"Hey, I'm _plenty_ energetic!"

"Not like some people I know," you caught a glance at Oikawa's saddened expression. "It's not a bad thing. It's nice that the time I spend with you isn't always about having to keep you calm. I don't have to take care of you."

"You don't take care of me, Y/N?" He pouted, his sad expression morphing into a playful one.

"Not physically, no. Of course, I'm here for you as emotional support whenever you might need it, but you don't really _need_ me."

"Yes I do," the words escaped his lips before he could think them through.

He felt heat spread to his cheeks before he could laugh it off and pretend it was a joke, but you simply smiled at him.

"I'm glad you think I'm so important. I need you, too. In all honesty, I find it kinda hard to remember what life was like before I met you..."

And Oikawa came to a particular conclusion about how he felt... A conclusion that he should've seen _much_ sooner, with the way his heart felt like it would swell in your presence... The way it felt like it was his first time seeing you...

It was no longer a maybe...

_Oikawa Tōru fell in love._

And it was with you.

For now, he decided not to say anything, even as his emotions clicked into place and the fog that clouded his mind seemed to clear...

He didn't want to ruin the friendship he had spent the past several months establishing.

He needed you and didn't want to lose you...

So he kept his feelings to himself, even as he felt butterflies.

"Me too. I'm glad I decided to talk to you..."

"Technically, you weren't sure," you corrected him teasingly.

"Fine, I'm glad you decided to talk to me."

"That's more like it. How about we talk a bit more about why you chose to take me to a park?"

He smiled, "Gladly. When my parents would take me here, we'd just walk around for a bit. Talk about anything and everything..."

"So what's the anything and everything we're gonna talk about?"

"Whatever you want to talk about."

"Anything, huh? Let's talk about _you_."

"About me?"

"Yes."

"What _about_ me?"

"You don't seem to be trying to fake anything around me anymore. Did I finally prove to be worthy of your trust?"

"You don't seem to have malicious intent, at the very least..."

"Malicious, huh? What if I were to, hypothetically, tell you I was using you for something?"

Oikawa froze for a moment. "You aren't, are you?"

"Hey, I said hypothetically. Of course I'm not. What do you take me for? First of all, I'd have nothing to use you for. Second of all, I'm not that kind of person... And most importantly, I care about you _way_ too much to pull something like that."

You watched his shoulders sag with relief.

"...you didn't _actually_ think I was asking that seriously, did you?"

He hesitated before answering, "I did."

And you stopped walking.

"Sorry, Y/N... Did I offend you? It wasn't meant to-"

And you just hugged him. "You didn't offend me. Who used you?"

"Huh? That's-"

"You wouldn't be so worried about it if it didn't happen... Who used you, Tōru?"

"...just about everyone."

You hugged him tighter. "I'm not everyone. I'm never going to do anything like that to you."

_Could this be love?_

It was a ridiculous question, and Oikawa knew it.

_Of course it is._

Oikawa didn't know what to say, so he simply stood there in your arms, listening to your words.

"No matter _what_ you do, you're stuck with me."

"Y/N..." he muttered before pulling back from your hug.

"What?" You asked, looking to him curiously.

"I... Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being here."

It was strange to think that he was once afraid he might hate you...

I was strange to think that only a few short months ago, he didn't know anything about you, and you didn't know anything about him.

Now, though...

Now he wanted to know everything about you.

+++

Oikawa was wrapping up his first year of college, and you came to see him on his last day.

He was surprised when he saw your face, and he all but sprinted over to hug you.

"Y/N! You came to see me!"

"Of course, you dork. So how does it feel, being done with your first year of college?"

"It sucks," he pouts. "Next year's just gonna be harder..."

"Well, at least I'll be here..."

"That's right! You're starting your first year!"

"Sort of. I took all the advanced classes and such so I could skip my first year... For the most part, anyways. I've been taking the only class I couldn't do in highschool online... So I'll be going into my second year, just like you."

"What!? You were _that_ prepared!?

"Mhm."

"How did you manage all that in highschool!?"

"I didn't take all the advanced classes at once! I took them throughout the three years. I knew that I'd want an easy year before officially attending a college, so I prepared for that... And I got that."

Oikawa pouts. "So I _won't_ be your upperclassman..."

"What? Were you hoping for an honorific, or something?"

"Yes," he pouts.

You rolled your eyes and let out a laugh. "Just this once, you drama queen... Oikawa-senpai."

"I love you, Y/N."

You stopped laughing.

He said it so seriously...

"You don't mean...?"

"I _do_ mean that. I have feelings for you, and I've had them for months... Will you please go on a date with me, Y/N?"

You cracked a smile.

"I already said you were stuck with me, didn't I?"

And, finally, Oikawa let go of his desire to appear perfect...

He had his friends, he had you... What more could he possibly need?

_The end._

**Author's Note:**

> The likelihood of your comments being seen is greater on wattpad, which is where I’m more comfortable... 
> 
> Plus, I post to wattpad first and I only post the short stories once they’ve been completed there in segments, while they’ll appear as individual chapters here.


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